Bodies and body remains of dead human beings and animals tend to decompose in a relatively short time. When left uncovered, the bodies and body remains that carry diseases or viruses will spread through either a direct contact therewith, or an indirect transfer by insects or other human beings or animals which have become infected with the diseases or viruses. Some of the diseases or viruses can also be carried by a flowable medium such as air or water, and therefore can be spread by air or water.
Decomposition of the bodies and body remains commences well before burial or cremation. The decomposition process produces liquid and gaseous products which have unpleasant odours. The decomposition products may find their way to an underground stream, a river or a water resource that is used by nearby inhabitant. Any escape of the liquid decomposition products can cause serious health problem to the general community.
The unpleasant odours are especially prevalent in days of relatively high temperature. In addition, at that time many more insects are attracted by the odours and they help to spread diseases or viruses.
People managing mausoleums or burial sites have made many attempts to minimise effects due to the decomposition products. Examples of these attempts include embalming bodies, treatment with preservatives and sealing coffins. The process of embalming bodies is time consuming and it has a limited effect in containing decomposition products. The preservatives may be toxic, and as such people managing the burial sites must take steps to prevent leakage of the preservatives into the environment. Totally sealing a coffin is costly and there is a danger of explosion due to the decomposition products building up of pressure therein. In some cases, mausoleum management uses metal trays in coffins to retain the liquid decomposition products, and a venting system to force the gaseous decomposition products into atmosphere. Deodorising agents and other chemicals have also been used to disguise the unpleasant odours for a short time period.
Disposal of the liquid and gaseous decomposition products in mausoleums is therefore difficult. It is also difficult to prevent leakage of these products from mausoleums.
For bodies and body remains that are to be subject to analysis, any loss or contamination of the body remains may seriously affect results of the analysis. Embalming or treatment with preservative can also affect accuracy of an analysis of a body remain. This is undesirable, especially in an autopsy when the cause or causes of death need to be correctly determined. The loss of fluids in or parts of or contaminations of bodies or body remains may also spread infectious diseases.